Get started in Google Docs with a screen reader

What is Google Docs?

Set up your screen reader for Google Docs

ChromeVox

If you use ChromeVox on Chrome OS, no setup is required to use Google Docs.

VoiceOver

If you're using Apple's VoiceOver, we recommend using Google Chrome as your browser. For the best experience, VoiceOver's Quick Nav feature should be turned off. To turn Quick Nav on or off, press the left and right arrows at the same time.

Listen for these words: "Screen reader support enabled." If you don't hear this feedback, press Command + Option + Z to enable screen reader support. You should hear "Screen reader support enabled." Google Docs will remember this setting the next time you sign in.

Press VoiceOver + Shift + Down arrow to interact with the editable text.

Note: If the screen reader’s focus ever shifts away from the editable document text (if, for example, a dialog window appears), you can use this key combination to resume your interaction with the text. First, return your focus to the editable area (usually by pressing Escape), then press VoiceOver + Shift + Down arrow to interact with the document text.

Notes about keyboard shortcuts with VoiceOver:

VoiceOver shortcuts conflict with Google Docs application menu shortcuts, such as the File menu. To navigate to the application menus, first use the pass-through key combination Control + Option + Tab, then type the menu shortcut, e.g. Control + Option + F for the File menu. You can also quickly search the menus with the Option + / shortcut.

If VoiceOver doesn't automatically focus on the correct part of the page, try moving the focus around and pressing Escape to return focus to the text. Then press VoiceOver + Shift + Down arrow to interact with the text.

NVDA

If you're using NVDA, we recommend using Mozilla Firefox as your browser.

In this video, you’ll learn how to get started with Google Docs, using NVDA with Firefox.

To adjust your NVDA settings for Google Docs, follow these steps:

Open a document in Google Docs.

Listen for these words: "Screen reader support enabled." If you don't hear this feedback, press Control + Alt + Z to enable screen reader support. You should hear "Screen reader support enabled." Google Docs will remember this setting the next time you sign in.

Press NVDA + Control + K to open the keyboard settings, then disable "Speak typed characters" and "Speak typed words."

Consider changing or removing your NVDA startup keyboard shortcut so that it doesn't conflict with Google Docs. The default NVDA keyboard shortcut, Control + Alt + N, is commonly used in Google Docs; for example, Control + Alt + N then G navigates to the next image in a document. To change your NVDA keyboard shortcut, open Properties from the NVDA shortcut, select the Shortcut tab, then update the Shortcut key field with a shortcut that doesn't conflict with Google Docs, such as Control + Alt + \.

JAWS

For Windows users, NVDA is the recommended screen reader for using Google Docs. However, if you're using JAWS, we recommend Mozilla Firefox as your browser with the latest version of JAWS.

If you're using Firefox, follow these steps to adjust your JAWS settings for Google Docs:

Open a document in Google Docs.

Listen for these words: "Screen reader support enabled." If you don't hear this feedback, press Control + Alt + Z to enable screen reader support. You should hear "Screen reader support enabled." Google Docs will remember this setting the next time you sign in.

Set key echoing to no echoing: Press JAWS + 2 until you hear "None."

Turn off the virtual cursor: Press JAWS + Z until you hear "Use virtual PC cursor off." Then press JAWS + Z + Z until you hear "The virtual cursor will be turned off for all applications."

Disable both "Auto forms mode" and "Forms mode off when new page loads": Ensure that the screen reader's focus is on the top toolbar, and then press JAWS + V. In the settings window, search for "Forms options" and uncheck both "Auto forms mode" and "Forms mode off when new page loads." Then press OK.

Tab from the address bar through the Google Docs toolbar controls until you hear application mode announced. At that point, press Escape to return to the content of your document.

If you're using Internet Explorer, follow these steps to adjust your JAWS settings for Google Docs:

Open a document in Google Docs.

Listen for these words: "Screen reader support enabled." If you don't hear this feedback, press Control + Alt + Z to enable screen reader support. You should hear "Screen reader support enabled." Google Docs will remember this setting the next time you sign in.

Make sure that "Forms mode" is set to "Manual." This setting ensures that your focus stays in the expected location within your document.

Tips for using Google Docs

Search the menus

Many tasks in Google Docs can start with a menu search. There are two ways to start a menu search:

Once your focus is in the search box, you can type a command, such as "Rename," "Share," or "Insert." Press the down arrow to hear search results for the action that you searched. For example, searching for "Insert" provides options to insert an image, a comment, and other choices. Press Enter to apply the desired action.

Accessibility menu

Once you've enabled screen reader support by pressing Control + Alt + Z (Windows, Chrome OS) or Command + Option + Z (Mac), an Accessibility menu is available to help you navigate and read your document. To use the Accessibility menu, follow these steps:

Open the Accessibility menu in the main application menu bar. Press Alt + A (Chrome on Windows, Chrome OS), Alt + Shift + A (Windows), or Control + Option + A (Mac).

Press the down arrow to hear sub-menus, such as Speak, Comments, Link, Table, and more. Press the right arrow to open a sub-menu, and press Enter to select an option.

Braille support

If you use a Braille display, you can enable Braille support in Google Docs to read and enter text. This option is available for Google Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer. Learn how to enable Braille support.

Keyboard shortcuts

Because Google Docs is different from a typical website, some standard screen reader shortcuts don't apply. For the best experience, use Google Docs shortcuts while editing your document.

If you ever forget a key combination, you can open a list of keyboard shortcuts within Google Docs by pressing Control + / (Windows, Chrome OS) or Command + / (Mac). Along with a list of shortcuts, the dialog contains a link to view all Google Docs shortcuts in the Help Center. To close the dialog, press Escape.

Find help documentation

As you use Google Docs, you can find help documentation at any time. Press Alt + / (Windows, Chrome OS) or Option + / (Mac) to search the menus. Type a search term, such as "Accessibility," then press Enter. The help documentation opens in a dialog where you can read or navigate to other topics. To dismiss the dialog and return to the document, press Escape.

Related articles

Manage documents: This article covers the main ways to manage documents, such as opening and reading a document, creating a document, and organizing documents in folders.

Navigate: Here you'll learn how to move your focus within the document and how to use the menus and other controls.

Edit a document: Find out how to edit text and how to add images, links, or other types of content to your document.

Format a document: Learn how to adjust the formatting of paragraphs or text in your document, and how to determine the current formatting.

Collaborate on a document: This article covers the steps to share your document, interact with collaborators, and work with comments in your document.

Keyboard shortcuts: This page lists all of the available keyboard shortcuts that you can use in Google Docs.